


Combustion

by NylieKeo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Hermione and Draco, Muggle London, Pining, Post War, harry is meddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21928762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NylieKeo/pseuds/NylieKeo
Summary: Hermione's desire for Draco is getting out of hand.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 8
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if there is any grammatical error, English is not my mother tongue :) bear with me !
> 
> I just wrote this and posted it straight away so there are language errors. I will correct them when the story is over :) 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading ! Thank you for the kudos and for those who commented on my work.

"what do you want, Malfoy ?" she asks. Her breath is short. Her heart beats so fast it might explode. Grey eyes looks at hers and she shivers. She can feel the lump in her throat turns into butterflies and slowly make their way to her belly. Her hands are more sweaty than she'd like to admit. That man is so gorgeous it should be a crime. He shouldn't be allowed to walk down the streets with his face of his. With his hair looking so soft. With his sassy smirk. It's doing things to her body she cannot control. When she speaks, her voice shakes against her will. 

"it's Christmas, Granger. No one should be alone at Christmas. And seeing you here, sitting all by yourself. I thought maybe you'd like some company". He says, with a low voice. Does he do it on purpose ? Does he know how he affects her ? Does he know her body wants his ?

"Maybe I'm waiting for someone".  
"Are you ?"  
"Well..." Should she lie ? What if she tells the truth ? Will he sit with her and spend Christmas eve in her company ? And then, what ? She already has an enough hard time avoiding him at work. She hates how she feels about him. It's more than physical attraction. The more she knows about him the more she likes him. He turned out to be gentle, kind and very smart. She cannot stand being in the same room more than a few minutes. She never felt that way about anyone else. 

With Ron, it was easier. She liked him but he was her best friend first and she had never been scared of loosing herself in the relationship. But Malfoy...what she feels is so intense she might completely combust if she ever touches him. These feelings are too strong to be healthy. She wants more of him but she wouldn't let herself have him. She can. not. loose. control. Control is all she has. Control over her life. Control over her body. Control over her emotions. Control over her desires. 

"Don't you have a fancy party to attend to ? Some family waiting for you ?" she asks avoiding the question.  
"Well, no. See, my dad is in Azkaban and my mom died last year. And the thing about being an ex-death eater is nobody wants you to attend fancy parties anymore."

She feels guilty all of a sudden. She knows losing his mom was tough on him. They were very close. 

"Sorry." She winces. "I didn't mean to..."  
"Actually it's a relief. I hate those parties. They bore me out of my freaking mind." He says, smiling but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.  
"I'm not sorry about your social life, Malfoy. I'm sorry about your mom. I know it's been hard." 

He gazes at her and nods. 

"Thank you". 

He clears his throat. 

"So are you waiting for someone ?" he asks again.  
"No, I'm not." and then she does something she knows she will regret later and invite him to sit at her table. 

His smiles widens and he sits in front of her.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione opens the door and takes off her shoes and her coat. She closes the door and locks it with a wandless spell. Her watch indicates 3 am and she smiles. Her night has been great. Really great. Not that she's surprised but it's been years she has not felt this good.

Actually since the war Christmas has always been a bit sad. Even when she was still Ron's girlfriend and spent the holidays at the Burrow. Even then. The ghosts of their losses (Ron's and Harry's and hers) were haunted them and the joy of being together was tainted by the trauma they had to go through.

But tonight, she was not Hermione from the Golden Trio (as the Daily Prophet calls them). She was not a war hero. She was not the brightest witch of their generation. She was not the best lawyer the Ministry has ever hired. And she was certainly not the sweetheart of the British wizarding world. She was just Hermione Granger. Just herself. Drinking with former rival and co-worker, Draco Malfoy. Just Hermione Granger, a woman having intense feelings and uncontrollable desire for a man.

She was kind of proud of herself, actually. Because nothing happened. They talked all night. First, he was in front of her then he slid to her side. Her shoulder brushed his and his hand has been on her arm as he talked to her. She was mesmerized by the colors of his eyes, hardly focusing on what he was saying. She could feel the heat of his body and the smell...gosh, she wouldn't even start to think about his smell. He smelled amazing and her legs felt weak. If she had been standing she would have needed to sit.

So nothing happened. She couldn't tell if he wanted something to happen as much as she did. But he didn't let any emotion transpire. He was so poised and calm. Sure, he was touching her arm and drawing closer to her as the night passed. Other than that, he kept his distance and he didn't try to kiss her when he walked her home.

Hermione was proud of herself because now she could move on with her life. She survived a night with Draco Gorgeous Malfoy.


	3. Chapter 3

"It's still slavery ! Even if you treat them well, it's still slavery and it's wrong !" Hermione shouts, her voice shaking with anger. She cannot believe she spent the last two weeks obsessing over him and now here he is, in her office, talking about her new law that forbids house elves' servitude. 

"I'm trying to be realistic here, Granger" he says. He seems calm but his eyes show a hint of worry. "The bill you're trying to pass is a bit extreme and could shock a lot of wizards If you want the majority in the Wizengamot you need to make compromises. It's the only way."

She huffs and glares at him. The fury she feels in her chest increases at the look of his fucking beautiful face. She stands. 

"You, purebloods, can shove your bigotry up your arses." She sees the hurt in Malfoy's eyes as she says it but she does not care. She's too furious to be caring about his feelings. 

"I won't compromise on living creatures' rights. We live in the 21st century and privilege needs to be destroyed." 

"You ex-boyfriend is a pureblood. Do you think he's a bigot too or is it just me ?" he asks and even though his voice is steady, Hermione can sense the anger and hurt behind the question. He spent the last seven years trying to make amends. As a member of the Wizengamot, Malfoy has always been on her side. He has voted in favor of every bill she tried to pass and some were clearly not beneficial to pureblood families. 

She knew she was being unfair. 

"I...I'm not talking about Ron with you" she finally says. 

The silence between them stretches. Their eyes meet and neither of them wants to back down. 

"I...have work to do." He whispers and walks out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

_Granger,_

_I would like to apologize for my behavior last week. I came to your office questioning your work. It was insensitive. Clearly I was wrong since the Wizengamot passed the bill. Congratulations are in order._

_Yours,_

_D. M._

Hermione reads the message over and over again trying to guess if he's still angry at her. The words might seem positive but it's cold and controlled. It leaves her with a bitter taste. She takes a parchment on her desk and writes back. 

_Draco,_

_I'm the one who needs to apologize. Even though I was angry I shouldn't have insulted you. It was out of line. I know you're not a bigot anymore. I'm sorry._

_And I also know the bill passed by one vote so I should be thanking you._

_Have a cup of coffee with me ? Please ?_

_Hermione_

Ten minutes later, a memo lands on the file she's reading. 

_Meet me in the hall at 3._

_Draco._


	5. Chapter 5

"So..." Harry starts.   
"So ?" Hermione says innocently, biting into her sandwich.   
"So you and Malfoy ?" 

Hermione smiles. She hasn't said anything to anyone but she and Draco met a few times at the local coffee shop and people started talking. Rumors spread fast and this one reached her ears the day after they reconcile.

"Nothing is happening..."  
"Yet"  
"Harry..." she growls.   
"Hermione, I know you and I'm observant. Part of the Auror training, you see."

She snorts. 

"Fine. I like him. Happy ?"   
"You do ?" he fakes his surprise and tries to repress his smile.   
"Come on. Even you, Harry, can admit he's not the same prejudiced git from school. He supports every cause we ever defended and..."  
"and ?" 

Hermione blush. 

"Hermione ?"   
"He's bloody gorgeous. It's difficult to ignore." she says quickly. Her blush intensifies. 

Harry smiles and then he laughs. 

"You're falling for him !"  
"I'm not...falling. I have a crush. It's fine and under control".   
"Hermione has a crush on Malfoy !" Harry says, still laughing hard.   
"Shush, are you five ? It's nothing."   
"Oh I doubt it. I think it is more than a crush and you don't know how to deal with it."  
"I know how to control my emotions."  
"But the point of emotions is they can not be controlled. They're meant to be fully experienced. The more you try to ignore them the more they will grow. What you resist persists." Harry says.  
"Are you a philosopher now ?"   
"Yeah I'm so wise" he says laughing.   
"You might have a point but..."  
"No buts, Mione. You haven't done anything spontaneous since the war. I know it's comfortable and easier to control every little thing but it's not how life is supposed to be lived. It's supposed to be adventurous and wild and unpredictable. What you are doing is hiding because you're scared. You're scared of being hurt and all of it being too much. But this is supposed to be too much. If it's love."

She winces. 

"It's not...love. I don't know what it is.   
"It could be though. You deserve the greatest love."  
"You're sweet." She sighs "I don't think he reciprocates my feelings anyway."   
"Have you asked him?" 

She snorts "No. And I won't." 

"Where is you legendary Gryffindor bravery ?"   
"I ran out of it after the war. Spent it all on our little adventure. I had enough for a lifetime". she answers.


	6. Chapter 6

"You didn't knock. It's rude." is the first thing she said to him when Draco walks through the door of her office at 5 pm.  
"You're avoiding me".  
"I am not. I've been busy". 

Actually she is avoiding him since her conversation with Harry a week ago. She knows her friend is right but she can not face her feelings right now. She just can't and the fear she feels in her chest is far stronger than any trace of bravery she might have. 

"So have dinner with me tonight" he asks. 

She doesn't even look up. She stares at her files even though she can't focus on the words. 

"I can't. Have plans."  
"Tomorrow night then ?"  
"Not tomorrow. Busy as well. Lot of work." she says, looking at her parchments in front of her instead of the handsome man asking her out.  
"The day after tomorrow"  
"I meet Ginny for a pint on thursdays, sorry. Another time". she answers quickly. 

Draco looks at her intensely while she buries her head into her work. He moves around her desk and grab her chair to make her face him. He puts his both hands on the armrests and leans towards her. Finally Hermione looks up and gasps. Her heart tightens and panic rises in her chest. She swallows and bites her lip unconsciously when his eyes meet hers and move down to her lips. 

"Hermione..."

She does not answer. She stares at his face then his eyes and finally his lips. 

"Hermione, focus." he says, amused. He smiles softly when she finally settles. "I had an interesting conversation with Potter while we were at the pub. The prat is quite talkative after a drink or two." 

Her eyes widen. 

Draco laughs and nods. 

"It appears like one of us has to be the brave one in this..." he pauses "relationship". 

Hermione shivers at the choice of words. She likes it. 

"Relationship ?" she whispers.  
"Yes, what do you think we're doing, Granger ?"

She is trying to think but her brain has stopped working rationally. 

"I don't know."  
" So let me be very clear about my intentions" he leans further and his nose slightly touches Hermione's. "I like you. I think about you all the time. It's exhausting, really. It's driving me crazy. And I don't do casual. So, yes, a relationship."

She nods. 

"So dinner tonight ?"  
"Yes." she says with no hesitation. 

He smiles. 

"I'll leave you to it then" eyeing her files on the desk. "see you tonight".

She allows herself to breathe when the door finally closes.


	7. Chapter 7

"Would you like to come in ?" Hermione asks, unsure. Her voice is low and her heart drums loudly in her chest. Draco and she had a lovely dinner in a small restaurant. It was her favorite so when he asked her to pick the place she immediately chose this one. It was small and intimist. Perfect for a first date. It wasn't too fancy. The food was delicious. The company was...delightful. Draco was fascinating and smart and cheeky. She likes it. They talked for two hours and then realized they were the only ones left. Neither of them wanted to end this perfect night so they decided to take a walk along the Thames. 

Now, they are in front of her flat and she does not know what to do. She wants him to come in but she's scared of what might happen if he does. She's not ready for anything physical even though her body clearly demands it. He's gorgeous so it wouldn't be hard to let things happen. But her mind needs more time and more trust. She needs to feel comfortable and confident. For now she was just a nervous wreck wondering if this was a dream or a prank. 

What if she lets him in and he hurts her ? What if she falls in love and he does not love her back ? What if he is not genuine about his feelings and his desire to have a relationship with her ? What if he realizes she's not good enough or interesting enough and leaves ? Ron has said she was boring more than once. Other men have said it. Said she was not fun enough. Not spontaneous enough. Not sexy enough. Yes she likes comfortable clothes and she might not be as feminine as the beauty standards would force her to be. But she was trying to be herself. Being sexy was not herself at all. She was a walking brain, overthinking everything. 

So what if he loses his interest after a while ? 

"Granger ?"  
"hum" she has been silent for a minute, deep in thoughts.  
"Are you overthinking it ? Me coming in ?" Draco asks. 

She winces. 

"Kind of."  
"I won't come in if you do not want me to."  
"No no. I want you to come in...it's just..." her cheeks redden at the confession "I'm not ready to do anything physical. I want you to come in. I do but it's just for a drink or two. Nothing more will happen."  
"Hermione, it's fine. Nothing more needs to happen anyway. We can take it slow. I'm not going anywhere so when you're ready, I'll be there."  
"Okay." she sighs, relieved and smiles.  
"Let's go then" she adds and unlocks the door with a wandless spell.


	8. Chapter 8

She wakes up and her neck's hurting. Her eyes open and she realizes she's still on the sofa, her head on Draco's chest. Hermione looks at him, asleep with his head resting in a weird angle. His breathing is regular and his mouth is a bit open which she does find very cute. She chuckles and gets up to make her some coffee. She used to drink tea at Hogwarts but since she works at the ministry coffee is much needed. She works long hours and sometimes anxiety keeps her awake at night. 

She gazes at Draco's silhouette and smiles slightly. Yesterday was so nice. They had firewhiskey, sitting on the sofa. She conjured a thick blanket and they eventually ended up cuddling. They didn't kiss and Draco didn't try to. They enjoyed each other's company and warmth. It was very nice. So domestic. It gives her a glimpse of what a life with a partner could be. With Ron, they never lived together. He was living at the Burrow at the time and she spent a year in Australia trying to save her parents' memories and when she came back nothing was the same. Ron was distant. He had lived a life with parties and friends and fun and she was not that kind of girl. She hates parties and she much prefer to stay home and watch movies. Or to have a cup of tea and a good book. He didn't understand how she could love what he called a boring life. But it was nothing boring to her. It helps her regenerate and she needs it to be able to function. 

They were fundamentally different. So they broke up. 

Now she was having the best time of her life with her former rival. 

Draco wakes up with messy hair and tired eyes. He massages his sore neck and looks up to meet Hermione's eyes. 

"Good morning" she says with a smile.  
"Morning" he growls. Hermione's smile widen. Not a morning person then, she thought. Good to know.  
"Coffee ?"  
"Yes, please". 

He gets up and grab the cup she's holding out for him. 

He takes a sip and sighs. 

Hermione looks at him, her cheeks hot and flushed. Her belly is doing flip-flops at the sight of Draco putting his mouth on his cup. She shakes her head and tries to remember how to breath like a normal person. 

"I had a great time with you" Draco says.  
"Really?"  
"Yes. Really."  
"You're not disappointed then ?" she asks. 

Draco frowns, confused. 

"Disappointed ? Why on earth would I be disappointed ?"  
"I don't know. By me. You know I'm not very interesting or sexy or fun. So I've been told". 

Draco looks even more confused and blinks.

"Granger, I told you I liked you and couldn't stop thinking about you. What more can I say for you to believe me ? And if the Weasel told you that he's clearly a git and doesn't know anything about women."  
"What if you realize you made a mistake and get tired of me ?"  
"The chance of that happening is very very very small. You want to know how long I've liked you ? Since third year."

Hermione's eyes widen. Draco goes around the kitchen counter to face her. He puts his hand on her hip and brings her closer. 

"Hermione, you're brilliant. You always were. And whatever that ex-boyfriend of yours has said about you, it's not true. You're so fun to be around. I love your wit. And I think you're gorgeous. You don't pretend to be someone you're not and I love that. You have no interest in people's money or social status which is the exact opposite of how I was raised. It feels good to be around you because you're generous and warm and kind. I love how you always seem to care about other people. So..." he says as he draws her closer and closer, his hand still on her hip, a finger caressing her bare skin. 

"I won't get tired of you anytime soon. Because the truth is I'm in love with you. Have been for over ten years and always will be."

Hermione feels her heart exploding in her chest. She looks up and puts her hand in his messy hair. She places herself on her toes and brings her lips on his. He gasps, surprised. She kissed him softly until he responds. The kiss is gentle and sweet. She lets him in and he explores her mouth with his tongue. He smells like coffee and she loves it. 

When they break apart, they're both panting. 

She brushes her nose against his and whispers "I love you too".


	9. Chapter 9

"Okay, would you like to do something different for our second date ?" Hermione asks. She's currently sitting in front of Draco, in his office. She came to see him early in the morning, bringing him a cup of coffee. She was not able to stay away from him more than a few hours. She missed him too much even though she would never admit it. 

"What are you thinking ?"   
"Muggle London" she says looking straight into his beautiful grey eyes. 

Draco winces. Even though he was no longer a prejudiced prat, the Muggle world makes him incredibly uncomfortable. Half of it because he feels guilty about his past and the other half because he does not know anything about them and find it hard to interact with them. 

"Are you overthinking it, Malfoy ?" She says, amused to use his own words.   
"Well...yes. I don't know anything about muggles and it kind of...scares me." he admits, the flush on his face showing his embarrassment.   
"I understand but I do know some things about muggles and I'll be with you the whole time. I think it'll be good to go to places where nobody knows us or knows our past. We could have a normal date without the daily prophet meddling. And secondly, I could share with you an important part of me. Even if I live in the wizarding world, I was raised a muggle. So it defines who I am today."

Draco nods. 

"Okay. I guess if I want to know you better I need to know more about muggles as well. But for our third date, I'll be the one sharing my experience and my world."  
"Deal" she says smiling.


	10. Chapter 10

"What is this ?" Draco says with disdain.  
"Draco..." Hermione warns, glaring at him. They are on their second date, in Muggle London, sitting in a cinema watching a film. Draco had promised to behave and be open-minded.  
"Sorry" he mumbles.  
"It's called a film. It's pictures moving and telling a story."

The young man frowns. 

"Why would I want to see a...film when I could read a book instead ?"  
"It's entertaining."  
"No, it's not."  
"Well, Muggles think it is." Hermione says trying hard not to laugh. She looks at him while his eyes follow the screen before them. He looks truly confused. She smirks and leans towards him. 

"You know what we could do to make it more interesting ?" she asks.  
"Leave ?"  
"No."  
"What then ?"  
"Some Muggles come to the cinema for a whole other reason."  
"Which is...?"  
"Darkness and privacy" 

He frowns once again, not understand what she implies. So she takes his hand and intertwines their fingers. She leans further and lifts his chin with her free hand and softly kisses his lips. Slowly first then she plays with her tongue licking his upper lip. Suddenly, he moves back. 

"Are you saying they come here to kiss and hold hands ?" his eyes wide and his face shocked.  
"Well..."  
"You're lying."  
"Excuse you ! I'm not lying. I know Muggles better than you.  
"But that's utterly ridiculous." He says. 

Hermione bursts of laughter.


	11. Chapter 11

That was Draco's turn to share his world and Hermione is not looking forward to it. When she agreed to it, she truly didn't know what he had in store for her. And now she regrets it. 

He had organized a ball, a freaking ball with evening gowns and three-piece suits. Where you're supposed to dance. As if they were living in the 18th century. And he wouldn't let her back down. 

"I don't feel comfortable to meet so many people at once and be introduced to your social circle. It's way too soon".  
"It's just a ball, Granger. No big deal" he has said. "Besides I was not comfortable to go to the cinema where people supposedly have been snogging in the dark but I did it because that was important to you." 

Hermione has sighed. Admitted defeat. 

She had floo-called Ginny to help her find a dress. They went to every store in Diagon Alley and she tried a dozen of dresses before finding the one. It was a green silk dress, with a v-neck that shows a bit of cleavage and thin spaghetti straps going down on her lower back leaving her back completely bare. 

She took all afternoon to get prepared. The long dress feels good on her body, like a caress. Her hair is down and her curls falls on her shoulders. She apparates in front of the Manor gates and as if the house already knew who she is, they open. She walks and the front door opens. This time, a house elf is waiting on the other side. 

"May I take your coat, Mam ?"  
"Yes, absolutely" she says. 

She puts her hand in her hair and takes a deep breath. She's nervous and her hands shake. She's escorted to the ball room by the elf. When she arrives, people are already dancing. On the other side she can see Draco talking to an old wizard. She takes a minute to look at him, in his black suit. So handsome. She feels the shaking intensify. To calm her nerves she accepts the cup of champagne a house elf gives her. She sips slowly before noticing Draco has seen her. His gaze is intense and makes her shiver. His attention is solely on her now and she focuses on his face. The rest of the room becomes blurred. He takes a few steps in her direction and crosses the dance floor. 

"Hermione...you're...so...gorgeous." he says, stuttering slightly.  
"Thank you" she whispers, her hands are still shaking. Draco puts his hands on hers. 

"Are you okay ?"  
"A bit nervous."

She looks around. "Everyone's staring at us"  
"They're staring at you. You're beautiful." His thumb draws small circles on her skin."Thank you for coming." 

She smiles at him. 

"Just stay close and if it becomes too much, just squeeze my hand" he says.  
"Okay". 

Draco touches his cheek and he leans to put a small kiss on her forehead. His eyes meet hers.

"Would you like to dance ?" he asks.  
"Yes." Dancing would distract her from all the eyes looking at them. 

He puts his hand on a bare back. She feels the heat emanating from him. He presses his body against her as they face each other. She shivers. 

"Just focus on me, Granger. It's gonna be okay." 

She breathes deeply before smiling shyly on him. She could do that.


	12. Chapter 12

"so was it as bad as you thought it would be ?" Draco asks. 

They're both sitting in the ball room, on the floor, eating food the (paid) house elves have prepared for them when all the guests left. Hermione is barefoot and her hair is now tied up in a messy bun. Her feet hurt after all the dancing and walking and standing. She's exhausted but she feels at home here, with Draco. And to her own surprise, she does not want to sleep alone tonight. 

"It was not that bad. I enjoyed dancing. I could have skipped the part where all the pureblood you know were judging me and judging our relationship. But I am glad I came."  
"Good. And I'm actually glad the pure-blood families were there."   
"You wanted to make a point." 

It's not even a question. 

"Well, yes. I want them to stop thinking I'm like my father. I want them to...how did you phrase it ? shove their bigotry up their arses."

Hermione laughs. 

"And I wanted to show them how beautiful and smart you are. I mean, how could we ever think you're below us ? I actually believe you're from a much superior species. You're too beautiful to be human."

The young witch chuckles and she feels the heat in her cheeks. She leans forward and kisses his lips softly. Her hand is in his cheek and the other one rests on his thigh. The kiss is slow at first but then it becomes more frantic. They're hungry for each other and no food could ever satisfy them at this point. They need more. 

Hermione stands on her knees and comes to sit on Draco's lap, her legs around his waist. She puts her hand in his soft hair and she moans when Draco bites her lip. She traces his jaw and the crook of his neck with her mouth and her tongue. 

"Wait...Granger" he groans.  
"Hmm"   
"Hermione, you're killing me". Kissing her forehead one last time, he puts his hands on her shoulder and pushes her gently. He looks intensely at her, lust sparkling in his pupils. 

"What's wrong ?" she says trying to sound innocent.

Draco laughs. 

"If we go on that road I won't be able to stop."   
"What if I don't want you to stop?"

He frowns, confused. Hermione tilts her head on one side, waiting for him to process what she just said. 

"Draco, I love you. And I don't want to go home and sleep in an empty bed. Don't you think it sounds stupid to both sleep alone in empty cold beds when we could be sleeping in a warm and comfortable bed together ?" she smiles. 

He clears his throat.

"It sounds very stupid." 

He dives his eyes into hers, uncertain and doubtful. She lovingly caresses his cheek. 

"It does, doesn't it ?" Her voice is low and gentle.   
"So...?"   
"So..." she kisses him as if she wanted to erase any doubts left. 

She feels their bodies disappearing in a small pop and when she opens her eyes again, they're in Draco's bedroom. Her legs are still around his waist and he carries her while his mouth explores her neck and her chest. 

"Don't let me fall". She says, shivering through his touch. 

They lay down on the bed. 

"Never."


End file.
